House of M
by Luthien Luinwe
Summary: The story of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff from the beginning, through Evolution, and to the end. Learn of their childhood and their lives after the series concluded, and follow their lives as they become Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch.
1. Chapter 1

**So this will be a rather lengthy story, and will eventually be Pietro-centric. It will be a blend of different universes as well as my own ideas, and will most likely follow beyond the X-Men Evolution story (unless I decide to make it two stories instead of one). It will definitely be angsty, and may contain a few triggers (I'm not entirely sure at this point). The chapters will center around a particular character, though the story will be told from an omniscient 3rd person perspective. Also, Magda, Django, and Marya will always refer to Magneto as Magnus. **

**Pairings will be: Magneto / Magda, Django / Marya, Kurt / Wanda, Pietro / Crystal, as well as other minor pairings. Enjoy!**

**Chapter One**

**Magda**

They had agreed not to have any children after Anya. And why would they want to? Magnus was always concerned with his 'cause,' and Magda couldn't bear the thought that she might lose yet another child. She'd always wondered how people could continue after the death of a child, but she learned, albeit she learned the hard way. There was much discussion after the loss of Anya as to whether or not they should try again. And their plan had worked just fine until that point.

She didn't know how to bring up the subject. Even a few years after the event, they couldn't speak of it without becoming too emotional to function. Magda knew many people thought her husband to be a cruel, heartless man, but she knew better. They had met in the concentration camp during World War II, shared in each other's pain, and eventually shared in each other's love. She had seen first hand how devastated he had been when he learned of the death of their daughter, and she hoped to see that joy return when she told him the news.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the door opened. "I'm home," Magnus declared. He closed the door and hung his coat up on the wall.

"How was work?" Magda asked. Their evening conversations always followed the same routine.

"Fine," Magnus replied, just as he always did. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead in the gentle manner he only used around her. "How was your day?"

Magda smiled slightly. "Great," she answered. "Marya was over earlier this morning." They had met Django and Marya Maximoff soon after moving to the Ukraine. The two couples had quickly become friends, and a day rarely went by when Magda and Marya didn't speak.

"Don't you two ever run out of things to say?" Magnus laughed slightly. He broke the embrace to take a seat at the table. Magda moved to sit across from him.

"I doubt we ever will," Magda smiled. If she was going to tell him, she figured she had better do it soon.

"Something's bothering you," Magnus said. It wasn't a question.

Magda shook her head. "The opposite, actually," she corrected.

"What is it then?"

Magda took a deep breath, stood, and walked over to him. "I'm pregnant," she said in a single breath. She would have been a liar if she said she wasn't nervous about how her husband would react.

Magnus looked into her eyes. "You're certain?" he asked, wanting to be sure. Magda nodded. "That's wonderful!" he exclaimed. He stood and pulled her back into his arms. "But what will we do? We can't stay here can we?"

"Why not?" Magda frowned.

"People are starting to talk," Magnus answered. "They're beginning to suspect I'm not quite human."

"So let them talk," Magda sighed. She hated that they constantly had to move. "Where would we go? What about the Maximoffs?"

"Django said he and Marya are moving to Transia," Magnus answered. "I was thinking we would go along with them."

"Very well," Magda agreed. At least there would be something familiar about the situation she was being forced into. At least she wouldn't be leaving her best friend behind.

"Have you thought about names?" Magnus asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I have, actually," Magda answered. "I was thinking Pietro for a boy or Wanda for a girl."

Magnus thought it over for a moment. "They're perfect," he smiled. He placed a hand on her still-flat stomach. "Just like he or she will be."

The pregnancy had gone smoothly, even with the move to Transia, and Magda was soon in her ninth month. She was constantly glowing, but something was not quite right with the family. Magnus had gotten too concerned with his mutant cause. He was away from home longer, and gave her more brusque answers regarding what he was up to. Still, she chose not to worry. It was better for her unborn child. _Children, _she had to constantly remind herself. It had been months, but she still couldn't believe she would soon have twins.

Yet Magda constantly feared something was going to happen. She feared something would go wrong in the birthing process. Only this time she did not foresee her children dying, she saw herself. Marya tried to convince her that it was nothing, that she was worrying too much. But what did Marya know? The woman wasn't able to have children of her own. That, however, was precisely why she and Magnus had decided that if something terrible were to happen to themselves, Django and Marya would raise the children. The other couple had agreed with much enthusiasm.

Magda suddenly felt a sharp contraction. They had been getting closer together throughout the day. There was no doubt in her mind the twins would come soon, if not that day itself. Magnus wrapped an arm around her. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Magda nodded. "I'm fine," she assured. "Just a contraction."

"They haven't been far apart," Magnus commented. "Should we see your doctor?"

Magda shook her head. "I'll know when it's time." Her husband was much too worried about everything, though she figured he had good reason. The last time she had given birth, the child had died. "Magnus!" she shouted as another contraction came. He looked at her, concern evident across his features. "It's time."

Magda was in labor 21 hours before the first twin came. It was a girl who, even as a newborn, resembled her mother. She had Magda's dark hair and facial shape, but her father's blue eyes. The midwife looked to Magda for a name. "Wanda," she said, cut off as another contraction came.

It would be another two hours before the second twin was born. This one was a boy with his father's silver hair, blue eyes, and profile. "Pietro," Magda said. She had not done well in the birthing process, not well at all. Magnus placed a hand on her shoulder as she held the newborns.

"They're beautiful," Magnus said, smiling down at his son and daughter. He felt Magda's breathing hitch. "Magda?" he asked quickly, looking down at her. She didn't respond as her breathing and heart rate escalated far too quickly. The midwife handed Magnus the children and shooed him out of the room.

Magnus tried to calm his screaming children, the ones who wanted their mother, but it was to no avail. Finally, the midwife emerged. Her face was solemn, her steps slow. "No," Magnus breathed, reading between the lines.

"Magnus…" Django said gently. He and Marya had been at the house the entire time as a gesture of support for their friends.

"Don't," Magnus responded. He glared down at the children, though he focused more on the boy. Magda had been fine after having Wanda. It was that… That _thing_ that had killed her. He tried to tell himself his following actions were what would have been best for the both of him, but he knew that would be a lie. Without warning, he forced the twins into Django's arms. "Take them," he said before making his way to pay his respects to his now late wife.

"What names should go on the certificates?" the midwife asked. She didn't want to push any boundaries, at least not any more than necessary.

"Maximoff," Django answered after a moment. "Wanda and Pietro Maximoff."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Marya**

Wanda cried too much. Pietro didn't cry enough. That was the one trend Marya had noticed throughout the three weeks she and Django had had the children in their custody. They had agreed to keep Magnus in the picture as long as he wanted to be in it. They had even agreed that the twins would not address them as mother and father. They would be completely open with them that Magnus was their biological father, however painful that truth may end up being.

Nonetheless, she and Django had not slept well over the course of the three weeks. And that night was no exception. Wanda woke screaming in the middle of the night. Django groaned and turned over in his sleep. "Your turn," he sighed. Marya groaned as well before getting up and making her way across the room. They had not been able to find anything particularly large in the Wungadore area, but what they had would do for the time being.

"Hush," Marya tried to coax Wanda into going back to sleep. She didn't understand it, and was confident she never would. Wanda was always making noise, even if she wasn't crying. Pietro never made a sound. Both behaviors were unnatural, and it worried her. She didn't see how two siblings, two twins, could be so vastly different from one another. _God she looks just like Magda, _was the one rational thought Marya had each time she held the infant. She missed her friend, friends, dearly. It seemed as though Magnus had dropped off the face of the earth after her death. It took quite some time, but the girl finally drifted back into sleep. Marya placed Wanda back beside her brother and climbed back into bed.

* * *

"There is something not right about that girl, Marya," one of the women in the small village said as she walked alongside Marya. Django had stayed with the twins that morning. "And I don't like it one bit."

"What do you mean?" Marya asked. She knew Wanda was fussy, but she had never thought too much about it. She figured it was just a phase.

The woman shook her head. "I'm not sure, but it isn't friendly. If I were you," she said, placing a hand on Marya's shoulder. "I would take your husband and children and leave this place."

"But where would we go?" Marya asked, shocked that she was continuing that ridiculous conversation. She and Django were gypsies; their people weren't exactly welcomed in most places.

"The obvious choice, of course," the woman answered. "Talk it over with your husband at least," she added before leaving.

* * *

"She hasn't stopped since you left," Django sighed. He was bouncing Wanda on his leg, trying to stop her endless screaming. He didn't know if it was colic or what, but he prayed it would end soon. Marya shook her head and picked the girl up. "We can't live with this much longer, Marya."

"We don't have a choice, Django," Marya mimicked his tone. "She'll outgrow it eventually."

"There is talk," Django said after a moment.

"About?" Marya asked.

"There are some who say the presence of these two children has angered the gods," Django answered. He would never admit it, but he was quite superstitious. He wasn't sure he believed in the gods their fellow villagers spoke of, but he did believe bad things would happen if they did not do as they were asked. "Especially Chthon."

"And since when do you believe in stories of Chthon?" Marya questioned. Wanda had finally stopped crying, bringing small relief to the situation.

"I don't," Django defended. "I was merely raising a point," he hated it when Marya was argumentative. It never brought any good to the household. "Perhaps it is time to leave again."

"I couldn't agree more," Marya said. "I don't do well if I stay in one place for too long. And this is no place to raise children."

"So you have completely given up hope that Magnus will take them back?"

"Why should I not have?" Marya asked after a moment of silence. "You saw the way Magnus looked at the boy. He despises him. I doubt he sees his children as more than objects to use in that war of his he wants so badly."

"I never knew you thought so poorly of him," Django commented. He lifted Pietro out of the bassinet and crossed the room. "Here I thought you were friends."

"No, Magda and I were friends," Marya corrected. "There has always been something off about Magnus. Don't deny it. It is for the children's sake that I agreed to let him be involved in their lives, not his." She sighed and looked down at the sleeping girl, thinking about what their neighbor had said earlier. "It's just a phase," she said quietly. "She will outgrow it."

"Perhaps," Django sighed. "But now our biggest concern is where we will move to."

"I've been thinking about that," Marya said. "Have you ever considered moving to the United States?" she asked. "New York, maybe?"

Django was about to laugh, call her insane, but then he thought better of it. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. "It's a big enough city," he said carefully. The last thing he wanted was to get her hopes up only to think of a better solution. "We could blend in well, I think. No one would give a second glance." He nodded as he continued thinking about it. "It looks like we'll be going to New York City."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: While Marya and Django will always refer to Magneto as "Magnus," any chapter revolving around him will refer to him as "Erik." This will also be the last chapter before a timeskip of a few years.**

**Chapter Three**

**Erik**

Everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong. Erik regretted leaving his children with his friends, but he knew he couldn't go back and rewrite the past. What had been done had been done. Still, he knew he would never lose the feeling that he had betrayed Magda in giving the twins away. Everything had just happened so quickly, and he hadn't had time to think. It wasn't as if it mattered any more. He had a movement to take care of. He needed to make sure the _Homo sapiens _were put into their place, but he would need time for that, more time than he cared to admit to needing.

He had lost so much in the past several years: his mother, his friendship with Charles Xavier, his wife, and now his children. Still, none of that kept Erik from thinking of them all. Somewhere deep down he hoped they were all right, wherever they might have been. He wondered if Magda and his mother had met, if they got along. He wondered how Charles and his wife Moira were doing. He'd even heard rumors that they were expecting.

Erik shook his head. He couldn't allow himself to get sentimental. He had to address the problem of his children, or more specifically, the problem that they were going to be taken across the Atlantic Ocean. He knew he would follow the Maximoffs. Besides, he needed to get to the U.S. anyway. That was where he would base his operation.

The small part of Erik hoped his children would do well in the States. He knew they would have more opportunity there than they would anywhere else. And if they were mutants, and he hoped to God they were mutants, they would join him in his campaign to show mutant supremacy. Still, the problem was with the boy. Erik wanted to say he loved Pietro as much as Wanda, but something about it didn't feel right. He knew it wasn't his son's fault that Magda had died, yet he still blamed the infant. It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair. But the world had never been fair to him, and he had turned out fine. His impending war would mean losses, and it was a loss he was willing to take.

It seemed that other than Django and Marya, Raven was the only friend he had left. Then again, he wasn't sure she qualified as a friend. There seemed to be the mutual acceptance that he was using her for his gain. She had left for some time, gotten married, and had a son. And truth be told, Erik was amazed Raven had stayed around after he had done some rather… unethical things to the boy.

Erik was torn from his thoughts as he heard a knock on the door. "Enter," he said without turning.

Raven gracefully made her way into the room. Erik had always been amazed at the way she carried herself. After all, he had known her back when she was insecure and ashamed of everything about herself. "The Maximoffs are leaving at the end of this week," she announced.

Erik turned to face her. "They said they weren't leaving for a month," he frowned. He despised being lied to.

"Plans change," Raven shrugged. "Will you still follow after them?"

Erik nodded. "You should go as well. I'll need you there with me."

"What good will it do?" she questioned. "Two people don't make an army, and I doubt we can win back Emma, Azazel, Angel, and Riptide."

"We don't need them," Erik responded. "We never did. We got on fine before them, we will after."

"What do you suggest then?"

"I suggest we wait," Erik answered harshly. "Years, decades if we have to. I will not lead an unprepared army into war with the humans. We need the strongest mutants we can find, and we need to get to them before Charles does."

"And this future army will involve your children?" Raven asked.

"God willing, yes," Erik sighed. He couldn't remember when the supremacist thinking had started. It seemed as though it had been in his mind all along. That was what Charles had never understood. They were the superior race. They were meant to rule over the humans, not live among them. Evolution had a funny way of working, some would argue cruel. The dominant race would always defeat the others. The superior race would come out on top, always. "We will go to New York, blend for awhile, and then make our move."

"And if we fail?" Raven replied. She refused to admit she saw flaws in the plan, huge flaws that could ultimately get them both defeated.

"We won't," Erik assured. "We'll form a team, one better than Charles' will ever be." He seemed to get an idea. "Better yet, we'll form two teams. You will run one, and I the other."

"Seems reasonable," Raven nodded. At least then she would be able to against Erik if their ideals began to conflict more than they already had.

"It's settled then. We go to New York, we wait, and when the time is right, we act." Erik was convinced it was a brilliant idea, a foolproof idea. He would have his war, and he would have his world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Pietro**

Pietro loved preschool. He loved his teacher, Mrs. Johnson, and he loved that he got to sit next to his sister and best friend in the world, Wanda. But Pietro did _not _like one of the boys in his class at all. It seemed like no matter what, Evan did just a _little _bit better than he did. And he didn't like not being the best. The other thing Pietro wasn't crazy about was how _slow _everything seemed to go. He would finish his work before everyone else did, and he hated waiting for them to catch up.

That day was special because it was parent-teacher conference night, whatever that was. He had told Django and Marya, and they had explained to him that it was when the parents came into the classroom and the teacher told them about how the kid was doing in class. Pietro, being the innocent child he was, asked if his real father was going to talk to his teacher. Marya had shook her head and explained that their case was special because she and Django were the ones that took care of him and Wanda. Therefore they were the ones that would talk to his teacher. It didn't make much sense to the young boy.

Pietro quickly decided parent-teacher conferences were boring. He and Wanda had to sit outside the classroom playing with blocks and looking at picture books and coloring while Django and Marya talked to Mrs. Johnson. Wanda tapped her brother on the shoulder. "We should listen through the door," she suggested. Pietro nodded in agreement. Anything was better than sitting there doing boring things.

"Wanda and Pietro are two of the brightest kids I've had in class," Mrs. Johnson said to Marya and Django. Her tone suggested there was a 'but' coming. "But I'd like to see them branch out and talk to the other children. They tend to only play with each other But we're not here to discuss them as a pair, we're here to talk about them individually. Wanda loves the learning part of school, but not so much the social part. I don't think there's anything to be concerned about, though."

"And Pietro?" Django asked.

Mrs. Johnson sighed. "Pietro's a different story. He does fine with his class work, but he's bored, and it shows. He's fidgety and easily distracted. He's impatient, and he interrupts constantly."

"He's a boy," Marya spoke up. "Aren't boys usually like that at this age?"

"Not to this extent," Mrs. Johnson answered. "Now don't be offended by this, but you may want to take him to see someone. There's a relatively new disorder called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and I don't think it would hurt to have him tested."

"I don't have that!" Pietro exclaimed to Wanda. "It's not my fault everyone's slower than I am." It was true, at least as far as he was concerned. Everyone else was _so slow, _and it annoyed him to no end.

"Shh," Wanda hissed. She wanted to hear what else their teacher had to say. She would never admit it, but it was fun to see her brother mad.

"He also has problems with another boy in the class," Mrs. Johnson continued. "Evan. Pietro's always one-upping him, and there's a bit of hostility. Be sure to talk to him about that."

"We will," Django assured. "Don't worry."

"You're in trouble," Wanda said in a sing-song voice. It was a pleasant change. Usually she was the one that got into trouble. Pietro always blamed her, and he was good at lying.

"Am not!" Pietro argued.

"Are too!" Wanda snapped back.

Pietro wasn't sure how long the back-and-forth went, but he jumped when he heard the door open. "Come one," Marya said. "We're going home." She started to lead the twins back out to the car. "Isn't that Evan over there?" she asked as they passed the twins' classmates.

"Yeah, so?" Pietro replied. He had a bad feeling Marya was going to make him apologize.

"Your teacher says you two don't get along."

"I don't like him," Pietro shrugged. Marya decided not to continue with it, which made him glad.

* * *

Pietro heard Django and Marya arguing later that night. He knew they had waited to talk until they thought the twins had gone to sleep, but that didn't mean he couldn't hear. Their house was one floor and had thin walls. If there was an argument and he was awake, he would hear it. "I don't think there's anything wrong with him," Django said.

"But the teacher said…" Marya was cut off.

"I don't give a damn what the teacher says!" Django shouted before taking a deep breath.

"Do you think it's mutant related?" Marya asked quietly.

"I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility," Django answered. "We knew there was a strong chance they'd have active X-genes. This attention hyperactivity thing is probably just something to do with that."

"But it wouldn't hurt to have him checked out," Marya insisted.

"You won't let it drop unless we get that settled, will you?" Django sighed.

Pietro wasn't sure what happened after that. Some time in that conversation he had drifted off into sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Django**

Django knew there was nothing to be concerned about with Pietro, but he had agreed to let Marya take him to the God-forsaken psychiatrist anyway. If you asked him, he would just say the boy had too much energy that he needed to work out. Maybe they could put him in sports or something. Granted that might feed the small boy's already monstrous ego even more. But he had agreed, and as such, he sat stuck with Marya and the twins in a cramped waiting room that was more reminiscent of a jail cell than a therapist's office.

"Pietro?" the psychiatrist, a woman in her mid-to-late-fifties asked from the doorway. The four Maximoffs rose and headed toward her. Wanda was being surprisingly calm, a fact for which Django was grateful. He would never tell Marya, but he thought they should be more concerned about her than her brother. She would frequently wake up in the middle of the night screaming, and had angry outbursts that concerned him. He was scared to death she would hurt someone one day.

The woman, Dr. Thompson, led them back to the room she used when she talked to the children. "Now you must be Wanda," she knelt down to the girl's level and smiled. Wanda nodded, but didn't speak. "Right then," she sighed, figuring it was normal. Most siblings didn't like when the other got all the attention. She closed the door and took a seat, motioning for the others to follow. "Now what seems to be the concern?"

Marya explained what the twins' teacher had told her about Pietro. "He's the same way at home," she added. "He can't sit still, and he's always talking." There was no hostility or resentment in her tone, though. She was merely stating the facts.

"I see," the woman smiled. She got a quick family history before requesting to talk to the boy alone.

* * *

"I don't like how long this is taking," Django declared.

"You have to give it time," Marya placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it takes awhile to be sure."

"Is something wrong with Pietro?" Wanda piped up. It was the first thing she'd said since they had been in the building.

"No Wanda," Django answered. "We just want to make sure, and Dr. Thompson is going to help us." It seemed to take ages before the doctor finally came out to talk to him and Marya.

"Wanda, why don't you go and play with your brother?" she suggested. Wanda huffed but did as she was told anyway. She didn't want to get into trouble.

"Well?" Marya asked before Django could speak. She knew he had a track record for opening his mouth before he thought about things.

"I don't see any reasons for alarm," the psychiatrist said. "It's normal behavior for a boy his age, and it isn't interfering with his everyday life. Get him involved in something to burn off the extra energy, and he'll be just fine."

Marya let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thank you so much," she said.

"Just doing my job," Dr. Thompson replied. "If you'll excuse me, I need to make a call. We'll mail the bill."

Django watched her suspiciously. He couldn't help but think there was something off about the woman. He had never liked doctors, but the feeling was something completely different. She didn't _act _like a normal mental health professional; at least he didn't think so. She was too curt, too confident, and the questions she asked seemed more random than purposeful. "Pietro, Wanda, come on. We need to get you two back to school."

"Do we _have _to?" Pietro whined. He wanted to stay and play with his sister, not go back and learn things he thought he already knew. Plus he had to sit next to Evan, and he _really _didn't like Evan.

"Yes, now come on," Django answered. He ushered the twins out of the room and into the car. At least he and Marya would have a few hours to discuss what they had learned.

* * *

"I told you it was nothing," Django smirked. Marya rolled her eyes and shut the kitchen door. "What?"

"It's never anything with you," Marya shook her head. "I am worried about them, though."

"Why's that?"

"Think about it Django," Marya sighed. "They know we aren't their birth parents. We've been clear from the start that Magnus is their father, and he's never around. It's not healthy."

"And you worry too much," Django responded. He wrapped an arm around his wife. "They'll be fine. They've got three people looking out for them instead of two or one. Magnus will step in when Magnus is ready. Now just isn't the right time. And this isn't the right time to discuss this. It _is _the right time to discuss what sport we're going to sign Pietro up for, though." He didn't understand American sports, but he knew which ones seemed to be popular.

"Well tee ball would be over by now, wouldn't it?" Marya wondered. Like her husband, she didn't know much about sports or sports seasons other than what their neighbors, Django's coworkers, and the twins' friends' parents talked about. "Which would leave… flag football and basketball?"

"I think he's too small to play football," Django commented. Pietro was tall for his age, but he wasn't big. He had to admit he was jealous of the kid's metabolism. "So basketball then? We'll ask him later." A thought crossed his mind. "We'll have to get Wanda involved in something as well."

"What about ballet? I took ballet classes when I was younger," Marya suggested.

"I doubt she'd like it, but we can ask. Gymnastics, maybe? That may be a little closer to her interests. We'll worry about it when they come home," Django decided. The last thing he wanted to do was make decisions for the twins. He didn't want them growing up to resent him. Rather he wanted Wanda and Pietro to view him as being a role model, someone to look up to, someone they could trust.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Wanda**

Wanda didn't like that Pietro had more friends than she did. She felt like he was leaving her behind and he'd never talk to her again. Part of her young mind knew that was a silly thing to think about, but the more dominant part still worried. She knew Pietro thought she was crazy, but she wasn't. She just had bad dreams and thought she saw things that later went away. It wasn't her fault she saw them.

And Wanda really didn't want to mention what she saw at the psychiatrist's office. She could have sworn the doctor turned blue with red hair, but she decided not to tell anyone. It was bad enough they already thought she was crazy, even if they didn't come right out and say it. "Wanda, come on," Pietro whined. He grabbed his sister by the hand and dragged her out the door. "We're gonna be late!"

"So?" Wanda asked, letting her brother drag her along. "It's just basketball practice…" She didn't even want to go, but she had to. Django was at work so Marya had to take both of them. She knew she was going to be bored out of her mind.

"So stupid Evan's on the team too, and I wanna get there before him," Pietro answered. Wanda sighed. Of course it was about Evan. It was always about Evan. She missed her brother being her best friend. They would fight all the time about stupid stuff, and it hurt. She had started her fair share of fights, but that was beside the point. At least he still stood up for her when he saw someone picking on her.

"Fine," Wanda sighed. She decided she didn't like being three. She liked it better when all she had to do was play with her brother and stay home all day. She liked it better when she didn't have scary dreams every night and she didn't see things that weren't there but seemed like they were. It wasn't fair.

* * *

Wanda quickly decided basketball was as boring as she originally thought it would be. All the boys did was run back and forth with some stupid orange ball. It didn't make any sense in her mind. She was drawn from her thoughts when she heard a whistle. She looked up to see Evan on the ground with Pietro standing over him.

"He pushed me!" Evan shouted at the coach, one of the parents from the preschool.

"Did not!" Pietro argued.

The coach sighed and walked over to the two. "Did you push Evan down, Pietro?" he asked calmly. Pietro shook his head. "Are you sure about that?" Pietro nodded. The coach looked at them and thought for a moment, but decided it would be easier to drop it for the time being. If it happened again, he would talk to them.

"Is that the Pietro you were talking about earlier?" Wanda heard a woman ask Evan's mom. Wanda turned to look at them and quickly decided the woman was pretty with her dark skin and long, white hair.

Evan's mom nodded. "That's him," she sighed. "I don't know why he dislikes Evan so much. Aren't all kids supposed to be best friends at this age?"

"I wouldn't be able to tell you," the other woman laughed.

"Auntie O! Auntie O!" Evan shouted as he ran over to the white-haired woman. "Did you see? Did you see?"

"Yes Evan," the woman smiled. "That was a very nice shot."

Wanda looked back over at Pietro and watched him throw the ball down onto the floor. He wasn't watching the others, but rather glaring at Evan. He had gotten a basket before Pietro had. The other boys all crowded around Evan. "That was awesome!" one shouted.

"How did you do that?" another asked in awe.

Pietro still didn't move over to him. "Pietro," the coach said. "Go congratulate your teammate."

"Do I have to?" Pietro whined.

"Yes you have to," the coach answered.

Pietro huffed, but walked over anyway. "Good job," he managed to get out. The glare never left his face as he walked away from the group. He didn't want to be any more a part of it than he had to.

Wanda sighed and followed after her brother. "You did good too," she said, forgetting he didn't know she was behind him.

"No I didn't!" Pietro snapped as he turned around. "I didn't do anything!"

"But it's your first day," Wanda reminded him. She hated it when Pietro yelled at her. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"So? It's Evan's first day too," Pietro pointed out.

"You'll do better…" Wanda trailed off. Both twins tensed when they heard an argument coming from Marya and Vivian arguing.

"…Just a phase," Marya said. "He'll outgrow it. He probably doesn't even realize he's hurting Evan's feelings."

"But he is," Vivian pointed out. "And this little competitive streak of his isn't healthy, and you know it."

"Well what do you suggest?" Marya demanded, throwing her hands up into the air.

"I suggest you fix the problem," Vivian responded. "Come on, Evan. Your father's probably worried."

"I apologize about my sister," Evan's aunt said. "She's just frustrated over a few things we discussed earlier."

"I understand," Marya said quietly. "Everyone has bad days. I didn't know Evan had an aunt?"

"Yes," the woman smiled. "Ororo," she introduced.

"Well, we should probably head home," Marya smiled slightly. "Wanda, Pietro, come on," she called over to the twins.

"Come on," Wanda said. "Let's go home."

Pietro nodded and took her hand. "Yeah, let's go."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Six Years Later**

**Wanda**

Six years had gone by quickly for the Maximoffs, and surprisingly, the years were relatively normal. Wanda and Pietro received above average grades, and their social lives seemed to be fine, with a few exceptions. But the twins had drifted apart. It wasn't obvious in the beginning, but as time went by it was clear that they weren't the single unit many originally believed them to be. Pietro had his friend, and Wanda… didn't really have hers. The girls didn't like her because she played too rough, and the boys didn't like her because she was a girl.

Their father had been in and out of the picture. Every once in awhile he would show up, ask how the twins were doing, but it never seemed genuine. Wanda thought their father only showed up when he felt obligated to. Pietro was a different story. He absolutely adored their father, and he would bend over backwards for him if he was asked to.

But all was not well for Wanda. The visions and nightmares she'd had as a child were getting progressively worse, and it scared her. Not a single night went by when she didn't wake up frozen in terror or petrified in fear. She figured that was part of the reason Pietro didn't want to be around her much anymore. He didn't say it, but she knew she scared him. And that upset her. She wanted her best friend back.

But that night was doomed to be worse than any of the family members could have imagined. It had been a normal evening. The twins had come home from school, done their homework, and talked to their friends. Bedtime rolled around, and they headed to their rooms.

Wanda could hear Django and Marya arguing from her room. She knew they thought she and her brother were asleep, but she had taken to staying up to hear what her surrogate parents discussed behind closed doors. More often than not, they talked about Wanda.

"…Have to do something. She's not right mentally," Django said. His voice was muffled by the walls.

"I know, but we can't exactly do anything," Marya argued.

"Then let Magnus handle it," Django sighed. "She's a danger to herself and the rest of us."

Wanda felt tears sting her eyes, but she held them back. Crying wouldn't do anything, and it wasn't like they were wrong. She knew everyone thought she was crazy and that one day she'd hurt herself and everyone around her, but she didn't want that to happen. She wasn't sure when it happened, but eventually she fell into sleep.

The nightmare was worse than any of the others had been. She saw a man in red with white hair and red eyes. He rose among flames and tried to get her. Wanda tried to run, but she wasn't fast enough. She was never fast enough. Somewhere in the distance she heard a small voice calling her name, but it was too far away. She couldn't reach it. She remembered her hands glowing with some weird energy form, and she remembered the evil figure shrinking into a boy her age with silver hair and blue eyes and a similar face. She remembered screaming, and she remembered being snapped back into reality.

Wanda blinked as she tried to figure out what had happened. It took her several moments to realize she was in her room. It took her even longer to process the state of the area. Her windows were broken, letting in the cool night air. _The scream… _she remembered as she jumped out of bed and looked around. _Pietro! _Her blood ran cold as she realized in horror that part of her dream was not a dream, but reality.

She heard frantic footsteps running toward her. The door slammed open, revealing Django and Marya. "What happened?!" Django demanded. He glanced at Wanda before paling when he saw the other twim.

Marya covered her mouth with her hand. Silver tears trailed down her face. "Oh God…" She quickly turned to glare at Wanda. It was no secret in the house that Pietro was her favorite. "You did this!" she screamed. "This is your fault!" Her voice broke. Django restrained his wife before she could do anything rash.

"I didn't mean to," Wanda sobbed. "I didn't know…" She thought it had all been a dream. She wanted it to all be a dream. She wanted to wake up and have it all be one giant nightmare. She looked pleadingly over at Pietro. Surely it wasn't true… Surely she hadn't been the cause of her brother laying unconscious on the ground, blood trickling from an open wound on his forehead, chest rising and falling quickly and shallowly. She couldn't have caused it…

"Marya, call an ambulance," Django said. He had been the only calm one throughout the situation.

Marya shook her head furiously. "You do it," she seethed. "I'm not leaving."

"Fine," Django sighed. He released his wife. "Wanda, come with me." Without hesitation, Wanda ran over to him.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" she asked in a small voice.

"I don't know," Django answered honestly. He led her out of the room, looking back only once.

Marya knelt beside Pietro, holding his torso close to hers. "Wake up," she begged. "Please wake up."

Wanda watched for a moment before running out of the room. She didn't stop until she was outside, under a tree. She curled into a ball and wept. Maybe the others were right. Maybe she didn't bring anything but destruction and chaos. "Wake up," she said quietly to herself. She wanted the nightmare to be over. She wanted everything to be a bad dream that she would wake up from. She wanted to wake up and hug her brother and Django and Marya and even her father. She wanted to go to school and learn. But she knew better than to believe that. She knew better than to believe it was a dream because it wasn't. Pietro could die, and it could be all her fault.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Pietro**

Pietro groaned as he blinked his eyes open. He was met with blinding light and deafening sounds. Something was definitely wrong. He couldn't remember what had happened, and he most certainly didn't know where he was. "He's awake," he heard someone say. _Why is everything so loud? _he wondered. "Get the doctor." Doctor? Was he in a hospital. He couldn't think straight. Everything was fuzzy, and his body felt like lead.

"Pietro?" a woman asked. She had an accent, but he couldn't quite place where it was from. He glanced over at her, the motion nearly making him throw up. Everything was moving too fast. "My name's Dr. Rezei. Can you hear me?" Pietro nodded slightly. He was afraid that if he were to move too much in any one direction, the rest of his body would follow. "Can you talk yet?"

Pietro tried to speak, but no words came. They were replaced with a strangled noise that didn't make any sense to him. "That's a no," Dr. Rezei said. "Just give it time, okay? You've been asleep for a long time." Pietro frowned. When had he fallen asleep? All he remembered was getting up for school…

He glanced down at his arm and noticed some sort of needle taped down onto his wrist. He was definitely in a hospital. But why was he asleep in a hospital. Where were Django and Marya? Where was Wanda? "Your mother went to get some water, she'll be back soon," the doctor explained. Pietro frowned at that. Marya wasn't his mother. He and Wanda just lived with her and Django.

"Wanda?" he managed to choke out, though the sound was barely comprehensible.

Dr. Rezei hesitated to answer. "She's with a family friend. Magnus I believe they said his name was?" Pietro nodded. That was good, that meant she was with their father. That meant everything would be okay. Their father wouldn't let anything bad happen to them, at least he didn't think so.

A familiar woman came into the room then. "Oh thank God," she breathed as she rushed to Pietro's bedside. Marya had never been as afraid as she had been in the time Pietro was unconscious. She didn't know if she would ever see him awake again.

"How long did I sleep?" Pietro asked, though it sounded more along the lines of, "How log slip?"

"Three days," the doctor answered. Pietro blinked. Three days was a really long time. He wondered why Marya let him sleep that late. She never let him sleep that long before. "I'll give you two a few minutes," she smiled politely before slipping out of the room.

"Do you remember what happened?" Marya asked gently. She was always gentle around Pietro. The boy shook his head. "Your witch of a sister almost killed you." Pietro cringed at that. He knew he wasn't the nicest person toward Wanda, but that was different. He was her brother. He was supposed to pick on her and tease her, but he was the only one allowed to. Nobody could mess with Wanda except for him, not even Marya.

"Not a witch," Pietro argued. He didn't like that the woman was talking so badly about Wanda. He thought Marya loved her. Sure she was harder on her than she was on Pietro, but he figured that was normal parent stuff. Django was always harder on Pietro anyway. "Not her fault."

"Then whose fault was it?" Marya demanded. She knew it was wrong to so readily turn on Wanda, but she didn't care. Someone had to take Pietro's side, especially since she knew Magnus never would. He may have claimed to have changed, but Marya had seen how he had looked at his son. That look would never leave her memory.

"No one's," Pietro answered. "It was an accident…"

"An accident?" Marya laughed sharply as a panic response more than anything else. Her mind was taken back to the day in Transia. _"There's something not right about that girl, Marya." _"Pietro, she could have _killed _you. She almost killed you…"

"But she didn't…" Pietro pointed out. It wasn't fair that his sister was being blamed for something she couldn't control. It wasn't her fault. He hoped Father would understand. Father always understood. His eyelids were getting heavy, and he didn't understand why. He had just woken up after sleeping for three days. He shouldn't have been tired. One thing was becoming clear though: he did _not _like hospitals.

"Get some rest," Marya sighed, noticing his eyelids drooping. "I'll be here when you wake up."

"Wanda?" Pietro asked with a yawn.

"Won't be seeing you for a long time," Marya answered. She had told Magnus to handle it behind Django's back. There was a sense of guilt, though. She had never gone behind her husband's back before. She had agreed to let Magnus talk to both twins and handle the situation as he saw fit. Marya refused to be the bad guy in the situation. It wasn't her fault Wanda was a demon sent straight from hell.

She expected Pietro to argue, to lash out, but the boy had already succumbed to a drug-induced slumber. That was the only positive thing in the situation, she thought. Pietro would be so drugged and sedated he couldn't fight back. The situation wasn't fair on anyone, but Marya knew it would be hardest on the boy. Pietro loved his sister, and he would do anything for her. And they were going to take her away from him. The fates truly were cruel.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Erik**

Erik had been taken by complete surprise when Marya had left Wanda with him. Sure he had been around his children on occasion, but this was different. There was definitely something more permanent about the situation, and it scared him. He didn't know what to say or how to act or how to handle what had happened. After all, the girl had nearly killed her brother with her new found abilities. That did concern him. Most mutations didn't come around until puberty. There was something unusual about the situation, and he didn't like it one bit.

"When do I get to go home?" Wanda asked suddenly, pulling Erik from his thoughts.

He sighed. That was the one question he'd been trying to avoid. "I don't know," he answered truthfully. He knew Django would fight for her, but he wasn't so sure about Marya. When he last spoke with her, she was still too upset to think clearly about what had happened over the course of the past week. He wouldn't lie. Being around his daughter was difficult. She had his face shape and his temper, but everything else about her screamed Magda. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed his late wife until he'd taken Wanda in.

As difficult as it was for Erik though, he couldn't imagine how Wanda was feeling. Marya wouldn't look at her, Django hadn't been able to speak with her, and she wasn't allowed anywhere near Pietro. Over the course of a few days she'd had everything taken away from her. It wasn't fair. But who was he to judge fairness? He'd been the one to leave the twins with his friends in the first place.

"Is Pietro gonna be okay?" Wanda asked after a few moments of dead silence. Every time his name came up, something about her changed. She went from whatever she had been before to a sad, lonely child.

"He will be," Erik was certain of that. He'd seen his son in the hospital awake and alert. The physical damage was minimal and the mental damage nonexistent. There was no reason why he wouldn't be fine in a few days. Wanda on the other hand… Something wasn't right. Her powers shouldn't have developed that early. It wasn't natural. Well… according to those humans who were aware of mutants, mutations weren't natural anyway, but still. It was odd even by his standards.

He frowned when he heard someone at the door. "Yes?" he asked as he opened it, revealing a red-faced Django.

"Where the hell is my daughter?" Django demanded. At that point in time, he didn't care about biology. He had raised the twins, not Magnus, and they were his children, not Magnus's. He knew Marya didn't see it that way, but it was the truth.

"Father?" Wanda asked Erik as she walked over to the pair. She glanced at the door and frowned. "Django?"

"Wanda, we're leaving," Django said.

"And Marya is fine with this arrangement?" Erik asked, raising an eyebrow. As far as he knew, Marya was still hell-bent on keeping the 'demon child' away from Pietro.

"She will be," Django answered. "Wanda, come. We're leaving."

Wanda started to walk toward Django, but stopped between the two men. She didn't know what to do. If she went with Django, she'd face conflict with Marya and probably Pietro too. If she stayed with Erik, she might never see her brother again…

"I have a better idea," Erik said suddenly. "Why don't you bring Pietro over here once he's feeling better and the twins can stay with me for a few days while you and Marya work things out?"

Django sighed. He didn't like the idea one bit. He'd never admit it, but deep down he had a strong fear that one day the twins would choose Magnus over himself. Magnus didn't deserve those children. He'd left them behind at birth. Besides, he was too focused on his mutant cause to give the twins the love they deserved. "I'll discuss it with Marya." He knew he had to pick his battles carefully. "Wanda, stay here tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Be careful going home," Erik advised before closing the door. "Are you okay?" he asked his daughter. It wasn't in his nature to be kind, but seeing the potential the girl had; he knew he had to be. She could prove to be a valuable asset in the future. Somewhere he wished he could see the twins as more than pieces to the puzzle he was creating, but he couldn't. Everything had to relate to the cause. If he allowed himself to get distracted even for a small amount of time, he would lose. Losing was something he couldn't afford.

"I'm okay," Wanda said. "Just sleepy," she added before slinking back into the hall of the small house Erik had claimed as his.

He knew he had to be patient. In time they would see if Pietro had powers as well. In time, Wanda would hopefully learn control. Before that day could happen though, he knew there would be another tragedy. He feared the next may actually kill his son. He couldn't help but think he was putting too much risk into the chance that the boy may be a mutant in the future. Still, he hoped it would be a good risk. In order to defeat the humans, he was going to need all the help he could get.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Sorry for the later than usual update. Life's crazy, but hey, life. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Chapter Ten**

**Django**

Magnus had gone too far, and Marya was just as bad. They had crossed a line, and Django was furious to say the least. He didn't see how Marya could have so easily turned on Wanda when she constantly talked about how awful it was Magnus had left the twins behind. When it came down to it, there was no difference between the two. And then she had sent Pietro off to his biological father's house for the week as well. "We need some alone time," she had said. Django thought that was complete bullshit. She didn't want to admit she didn't think she could handle the twins anymore. That was all there was to it.

And it was terrible. Those poor kids had gone through so much. They had lost their mother, been abandoned by their father, then one had developed powers beyond her control and nearly killed the other. _They're only nine, _Django sighed. The fated had dealt Magnus' family a losing hand. No matter where they went, something was bound to go wrong. And though he'd never say it to Marya, he feared Magnus would take the children and run. He wouldn't put it past him. Django loved his friend, but he also knew him. Magnus was selfish and would do whatever he felt necessary to get what he wanted. Now that Wanda had powers, Magnus would want her even more.

He jumped when he heard the phone ring. "Hello?" he asked as he answered it.

"Is this Mr. Maximoff?" a female voice asked.

Django sighed when he heard that tone. He turned to look at the clock. _10:30. _That couldn't be good. No one called him and Marya unless something had happened at school with one, or both, of the twins. "It is."

"I'm Rebecca Schneider with PS111. We have your son Pietro up in the office. The principal would like to talk to you."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Django sighed and hung up the phone. He caught the first bus he could, knowing he could get close enough to the school to walk. Pietro had been getting in trouble more and more lately, and he was sick of it. That little rivalry Pietro had with the Daniels kid was getting too far out of hand. _At least he keeps his grades up_, he sighed.

It seemed like an eternity before Django got to the school. He wondered if they had called Marya as well. He knew Magnus wouldn't have been contacted, and he knew Magnus would be furious if he found out Django was called instead. "I'm here for Pietro," he said to the front desk lady. She nodded and opened the office door for him.

Pietro glanced up when he saw Django walk into the office. Django cringed slightly when he looked the boy over. He had the start of a black eye and a busted lip. He shook his head. That was the first time Pietro had gotten into a real fight. But Evan wasn't the one beside him. Beside Pietro were three much bigger boys, all three with a few scratches and bruises. "What happened?" he asked the principal, a woman by the name of Mrs. Dane.

She looked over at the boys and crossed her arms. "Explain yourselves," she said in a tone that clearly showed she meant business.

"The little brat hit me!" the biggest of the three boys said. "So we hit back."

Pietro didn't look up. "They were picking on Wanda," he said in a small voice. "So I stepped in. They wouldn't leave her alone."

Django looked over at Mrs. Dane. He felt terrible for having assumed Pietro had gotten into it with Evan again. "That was the story they gave me and their teachers," she said.

"So he's being punished for standing up for someone?" Django questioned. He didn't see the logic in that. The boy hadn't done anything wrong. If he were in Pietro's place, he probably would have done the same thing.

"He'll be punished for fighting," Mrs. Dane corrected. If there was one thing she didn't condone, it was fighting in her school. It endangered the other students. And she'd had Pietro in her office enough times to know trouble when she saw it.

Django wanted to argue, but he kept his mouth shut. Anything he said was bound to make the principal more upset than she already was. "So what will the punishment be?"

"All four boys will stay after school on Tuesday until 4:30," she answered. "And Pietro won't be permitted to play basketball for three weeks."

"That's not fair!" Pietro spoke up. If he was off the team for that amount of time, he'd never catch up. "I didn't even start it!"

"Then who hit first?" she countered. Pietro glared at her, then looked over at Django, eyes pleading for him to do something.

"They were picking on my sister," he said in a small voice. He didn't want to be there anymore. He just wanted to run away, maybe take Wanda with them. Then they wouldn't be stuck with two not real parents and one real parent who didn't really care. They'd do okay on their own. But he knew he couldn't. They were just kids, and they couldn't take care of themselves. Before he knew what he was doing, he ran.

"Pietro!" Django called out, but Pietro ran faster. Django stared in amazement as he followed the boy out of the school building before Pietro seemed to disappear completely. "Mutants," he muttered under his breath.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I had a bunch of personal things going on, but everything's okay now, or at least as okay as it will be. So anyway, here you go. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Pietro**

Pietro wasn't sure when he stopped running, only that he did. He looked around only to find he had absolutely no idea where he was. The streets were unfamiliar, as were the buildings on them. One thing was for sure, though. He wasn't in the city, but rather a suburb of sorts. He told himself not to panic. Someone would eventually find him. He remembered his teachers and Marya and Django always told him that if he was lost, he should stay in the same place so someone could find him. Deciding to stick to that advice, he fell down to his knees near a tree in what looked like a park.

_It's not fair, _he thought. In his mind, he hadn't done anything wrong. Yet he had still gotten into trouble for it. It wasn't Wanda's fault she had weird abilities. _Wait… weird abilities… _He thought about how he had ended up in that situation. He shouldn't have been able to run that fast. It wasn't possible for a normal human. And he was afraid. He was afraid that Magda would hate him now that he was like Wanda. He was afraid that everything and everyone he cared about would want nothing to do with him anymore.

What had always concerned Django was how Pietro handled his emotions. He didn't get upset in the way that most people did. Instead, he completely shut down. He tuned the world out and would lash out at anyone trying to break through his barrier of solitude. It wasn't healthy, but it was the only way he'd ever handled negative emotions.

"Pietro?" the boy heard a deep voice ask. He jumped, not having expected to be found so easily. He looked around before his eyes landed on a familiar face. _But how did he find me so fast?_

"Go away," the boy said, turning to face away from the man.

"Not without you," the man replied. He moved closer to the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This is nothing to be ashamed of, Pietro."

"I know," Pietro grumbled. He just wanted the man to go away. He wanted to go home with Marya and Django and Wanda, and he wanted everything to be normal again before Wanda almost killed him and before Marya sent Wanda away. He turned around to look at his father.

Erik knelt down to Pietro's level. "You don't need them, Pietro," he said gently. "You, me, and Wanda, we can be happy together." Pietro didn't reply to that. He studied his father's face, thinking about a few talks Django had had with the boy. He knew better than to believe that. Django always said that Pietro could never really trust Erik, that he could never really be sure. That's why Django always made sure he or Marya was around when Erik visited. "Will you think about it?" he asked.

Pietro thought on that for a few minutes. "I'll think about it," he said, knowing deep down he wouldn't. Django and Marya were his parents, even if they weren't really related. Django was the one that took his side and stood up for him. Django was the one that would fight for him. And Marya was the one that always took care of him. Marya was the one that would kiss him when he cried and tell him he did a good job when he brought home a good grade. They were the ones that really cared, not his father.

"At least let me get you home," Erik sighed. Pietro nodded and followed after his father back toward New York.

* * *

"Thank God," Django breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Erik return to his home with Pietro. Pietro ran toward Django, who pulled him into a tight hug. "Are you okay?" he asked, keeping his hands on the boy's arms.

"I'm fine," Pietro assured. "I wasn't even that lost." As it turned out, he had only been in a different neighborhood, one he'd never seen before. "Where's Marya?"

"With Wanda," Django answered. He knew Marya hadn't been particularly happy about the arrangement, but someone had to keep an eye on the girl while he and Erik were looking for Pietro. "We need to talk, take a seat." Pietro frowned, but sat down on the couch anyway. "Do you remember when we talked about how some people are different from others?"

Pietro nodded. "Yeah, because he was there to," he gestured toward his father. "You said it's good to be different, just that other people can't know if you are because they might hurt you."

Django smiled slightly. If there was one thing he could say about Pietro, it was that he paid attention when he really needed to. "Magnus?" he asked.

Erik sat across from Pietro. "There are more different people than you would think," he said. "I'm different, and so are you and Wanda. We're called mutants, and we can do things most other people can't. Now, normally these abilities don't show up until you're a teenager, but with you and Wanda, it's obviously happened sooner, but it's nothing to be worried about." For all his faults, Erik at least knew how to explain things simply. It was something he'd learned from Charles when they were working together. "But it's extremely important that no one finds out," he added. "At least not yet."

"But why?" Pietro asked. If he was supposed to be proud of being different, or a mutant as his father had put it, why did he have to hide it? "What about Wanda?" he knew she hadn't meant to hurt him, that she hadn't been able to control it. What if that happened in school around everyone else?

"Because the world isn't ready, Pietro," Django spoke up. "Which is why things are going to be different from now on."

"What do you mean?" Pietro asked. He didn't like different. Different meant something was going to change, and he didn't see how that could be good.

"We're taking Wanda to get help tomorrow," Django answered. "She'll have to go away for awhile, we don't know how long."

Pietro shook his head. "But she didn't do anything wrong!" he stood up without realizing it. "It's not her fault. She didn't mean to hurt me. She wouldn't hurt anyone…"

"Not intentionally," Erik corrected. "She hurt you, and if we aren't careful, she could hurt someone else."

"But…" Pietro tried to speak, but Django cut him off.

"It's not up for debate, Pietro," Django said sternly, placing a hand on Pietro's shoulder. "We're sending her to get better so she won't accidentally hurt someone again. It's for the best." He sighed and backed up. "Magnus will take her to the facility tomorrow."

"Can I go too?" Pietro asked in a small voice. He wasn't going to let his sister go without seeing her again.

Django looked at Erik, who nodded. "Alright," Erik sighed. "Be ready to leave early tomorrow."

"Can I go to my room now?" Pietro asked. Django nodded, and Pietro ran up to his room, closing the door tightly behind him. He threw a book across the room. It wasn't fair. Instead of solving the problem like they always told him to do, they were just sending Wanda away for someone else to handle it, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. He saw a note on his bed and examined it. "Mutant and proud," he read out loud. "Yeah right." He ripped the paper into tiny pieces and slid down onto the floor. How could he be proud of who he was when he had to hide who he really was from everyone else? How could he be proud when the whole 'mutant' thing seemed to cause nothing but trouble? It just wasn't fair.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Wanda**

She hadn't been told anything. Well, she hadn't been told anything important. All Wanda's father had told her was that she had to get up early in the morning so they could get Pietro so they could go somewhere special. Her heart sank at the mention of her brother. She couldn't so much as look at him without thinking about what had happened a few days prior. Had it really only been that short a time period? She felt like it should have been much longer. She had been fast asleep when sudden light flooded the room. "Time to wake up," Erik said, shaking her gently.

Wanda groaned and sat up. She didn't know what time it was, and she didn't really care. At least she'd get to see her brother, even if she didn't know for how long. She didn't bother changing, having slept in her street clothes. She headed to the bathroom and ran a brush through her mangled brown hair before tying her shoes and meeting her father at the door.

"Ready?" Erik asked. He almost felt bad, the poor girl had no idea what was about to happen. But he couldn't tell her. She would panic, and if she panicked, the probability that her powers would act up would increase tenfold. Wanda nodded and followed her father to the car, taking a seat in the back behind the driver's seat.

"Are we gonna get Pietro?" Wanda asked, leaning her head against the glass. It was still dark outside, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She didn't see why they had to be up that early anyway. Nothing would be open, so it wasn't like they could do anything.

"Yes," Erik answered. Wanda frowned. He'd been especially limited in his words, and she thought that was weird. She knew he didn't talk much to begin with, but still. Something was off, she just wasn't sure what. She perked up when she saw a familiar driveway come into view. "Stay here," Erik said. "I'll get him." He parked the car and got out, heading for the door.

Wanda watched as Pietro came out of the house. She smiled, seeing that most of the cuts and scrapes on him had healed up. They hadn't even scarred. He was dressed warmly in his favorite blue-and-white sweatshirt. Wanda figured that was a good thing. A few raindrops started to fall from the sky as Pietro slid into the seat next to her.

"Hey," he greeted with a slight smile.

"Hey," Wanda repeated. She couldn't help but notice that even he seemed off. "You okay?" she asked.

"Better," Pietro answered. The car started and silence consumed the three.

The car ride seemed to take forever, at least in Wanda's mind. It wasn't too long before the slight sprinkle of rain turned into a full blown thunderstorm. "That place is creepy," Wanda said when she saw an old building surrounded by a wrought iron gate.

Pietro nodded in agreement. "Really creepy," he agreed before there was a sudden shift in direction. "Why are we turning?" he asked.

"This is where we're going," Erik answered. He pulled the car up to the front of the creepy building before putting it into park and stepping out. "Out of the car."

Wanda didn't like what was going on, but did as she was told anyway, Pietro following suit. If the building was creepy, she didn't know how to describe the people waiting for them. They looked completely deranged in her opinion.

"Wanda, you'll be staying here for awhile," Erik said suddenly.

Wanda stared at him. "No! You can't!" she shouted. She tried to run off, but two of the workers restrained her. "You can't! Father!" she pleaded, looking between him and Pietro. The workers started to pull her toward the place. "Father!" Erik watched for a moment before turning away. Wanda looked at Pietro. She knew he wouldn't let them keep her in that awful place. Pietro would always protect her. It was his job. They were brother and sister; they had to protect each other when no one else would.

But Wanda's heart sank when Pietro turned and followed after Erik. "No!" she screamed. They couldn't leave her there. They couldn't leave her there with those _people _in that _place_. She wasn't like them. She needed a normal house with a normal family and her brother, not some dumping place for crazy people.

A spark of anger ran through her veins as the familiar car drove through the gate. She wanted to stop them from leaving, do anything to stop them from leaving. But she was completely helpless. She moved her hands and saw a flash of red light. One of the workers was thrown to the side, but not the other.

"Don't let her move her hands!" one of the ones that wasn't restraining her shouted. Next thing she knew, her hands were being held down so she couldn't so much as lift a finger.

"Damn witch," the worker that had been thrown to the side said as he regained his composure. Wanda looked around the group, and for once she felt completely hopeless. She was never getting out of that place. And it was all her father's and brother's fault.


End file.
